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Lodgers.... am i being unreasonable....

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135

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    #62
    Wesser
    Registered Users Posts: 1,813 ✭✭✭Wesser


    I think the fundamental problem here is that you picked the wrong tenant.
    You should have picked someone who is in keeping with the rythym in your house.
    All lodgers in my house worrk fulltime in a 9 to 5 or 9 to 6 rythym so we are all on the same page. All in an office..... not from home.
    We are all in the same lifephase.. ie in our thirties, professional jobs etc.
    When seeking a tenant i will hold out for the right person even if this means a month or two without rent.
    You need to take your time picking the right tenant


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    #63
    marieholmfan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,744 ✭✭✭marieholmfan


    sondagefaux wrote: »
    Give her a week to find someone else's house to sit around in all day.

    As a lodger, she hasn't got anywhere near the legal rights of tenants.

    And see if you can fit a timer/thermostat that you can control with an app on your phones...

    She is a co tenAnt not a lodger. Fluffington is delusional .


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    #64
    fluffingtons
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34 ✭fluffingtons


    Wesser wrote: »
    I think the fundamental problem here is that you picked the wrong tenant.
    You should have picked someone who is in keeping with the rythym in your house.
    All lodgers in my house worrk fulltime in a 9 to 5 or 9 to 6 rythym so we are all on the same page.
    When seeking a tenant i will hold out for the right person even if this means a month or two without rent.
    You need to take your time picking the right tenant

    couldn't agree more. if i could turn back time...


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    #65
    sondagefaux
    Registered Users Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭sondagefaux


    marieholmfan wrote: »
    Co tenants . Your use of the term lodger is wishful thinking.

    A tenant who has the permission of the landlord can take in lodgers.

    Just because they have a lodger relationship with a tenant rather than an owner-occupier doesn't make it a tenancy.

    As for the Rent A Room Scheme, that's a taxation issue: it doesn't make a lodger agreement, a licensee arrangement, into a tenancy.


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    #66
    sondagefaux
    Registered Users Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭sondagefaux


    marieholmfan wrote: »
    She is a co tenAnt not a lodger. Fluffington is delusional .

    Do you have a copy of her lease? If not, you're delusional. Goodbye.


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    #67
    Marcusm
    Registered Users Posts: 10,320 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm


    marieholmfan wrote: »
    She is a co tenAnt not a lodger. Fluffington is delusional .

    Fkuffingtons has a lease of the property from his/her family member and has sublet to the "lodger". For this reason, the lodger has not action against the landlord and therefore has no security of tenure. After 6 months, a "multiople tenant" as the lodger is known in the RTA is entitled to ask for rights as agains the actual owner. HOwever, as that person is a family member of fluffingtons, the RTA does not apply. Trace it through the law yourself if you don't agree. (As opposed to simply reposting the same seafoid.)


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    #68
    sondagefaux
    Registered Users Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭sondagefaux


    Stark wrote: »
    Better yet, they just give you money without actually moving in. Dream lodger! Now where do we find them?

    I did have someone ask me once to rent a room 'just for storage'.

    They were a bit vague about what they wanted to store, so I let it go... :D


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    #69
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,305 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    marieholmfan wrote: »
    She is a co tenAnt not a lodger. Fluffington is delusional .



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    #70
    Pamela Landy
    Registered Users Posts: 304 ✭✭Pamela Landy


    fluffingtons wrote: »
    good list. 1, 2, 4, 7 and 8 would be my main concerns. I don't mind a bit of music or partying now and then if all agreed... I would like the lodgers to be happy as far as possible

    I would add
    References from previous landlord
    References from employer
    No pulling furniture around! (that's another of her habits)
    No leaving front doors unlocked (another habit)

    When you interview potential lodgers try and get a good sense of their hobbies, interests, work schedule, ie a sense of whether you will be under one another's feet or not

    Definitely get references.

    I have little signs in the kitchen and bathroom just saying please keep room/surfaces clean. I have no smoking written into the rules as well as keeping the place clean just explaining to deter rodents (I had mice a few years back).

    2 of them kept leaving the front door open... I don't mean not double-locked but actually open.

    I had 2 girls that traipsed men up the stairs day and night. I have "no overnight guests" in the rules but of course they can come in "for coffee" in the afternoon and leave at 11:59pm. ;) I had turned a blind eye to a boyfriend (nice bloke) calling for dinner then chilling watching Netflix but when she finished she must have been internet dating as I considered a revolving door as she kept bringing different guys back. We had a disagreement and I asked her to find more suitable accommodation. Possibly in Amsterdam if she can get a transfer.

    Great girl in now... You can be lucky. Good luck. :)


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    #71
    Ballso
    Registered Users Posts: 465 ✭✭Ballso


    Pamela Landy wrote: »
    Definitely get references.

    I have little signs in the kitchen and bathroom just saying please keep room/surfaces clean. I have no smoking written into the rules as well as keeping the place clean just explaining to deter rodents (I had mice a few years back).

    2 of them kept leaving the front door open... I don't mean not double-locked but actually open.

    I had 2 girls that traipsed men up the stairs day and night. I have "no overnight guests" in the rules but of course they can come in "for coffee" in the afternoon and leave at 11:59pm. ;) I had turned a blind eye to a boyfriend (nice bloke) calling for dinner then chilling watching Netflix but when she finished she must have been internet dating as I considered a revolving door as she kept bringing different guys back. We had a disagreement and I asked her to find more suitable accommodation. Possibly in Amsterdam if she can get a transfer.

    Great girl in now... You can be lucky. Good luck. :)

    This is why people vote Sinn Fein


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    #72
    Pamela Landy
    Registered Users Posts: 304 ✭✭Pamela Landy


    Ballso wrote: »
    This is why people vote Sinn Fein

    Why?


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    #73
    Fol20
    Registered Users Posts: 3,624 ✭✭✭Fol20


    James 007 wrote: »
    So in order to help the poster & myself, lets start making the set of rules, I'll start the first 10:
    1. Heating is set from X to Y at a Temp of Z
    2. No hogging the kitchen/dining area as an office, please use your desk/chair in your room for office/laptop periods
    3. Peak morning shower time, 8 to 10am, max. usage time X mins
    4. Peak evening cooking time, 6 to 9pm, max. usage time Y mins
    5. No noise, loud music, parties in the house
    6. No over-staying guests allowed in the house
    7. No smoking in the house
    8. Keep all communal areas clean
    9. No hogging the washing machine/dryer, cycles to be taken in turns
    10. Head phones to be used in conjunction with laptops at all times

    I’d personally find point #3,4,10 a bit much.

    People should be able to shower and cook at any time within reason.

    The loud noise covers the laptop issue So don’t see why it’s mandatory for a headset.


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    #74
    Stark
    Registered Users Posts: 20,990 ✭✭✭✭Stark


    Pamela Landy wrote: »
    Why?

    Telling girls adult women they're not allowed a sex life. Taking advantage of people's desperation to find accommodation in a dysfunctional market to impose unreasonable rules. No-one would put up with that if there was choice on the market.


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    #75
    fluffingtons
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34 ✭fluffingtons


    Ballso wrote: »
    This is why people vote Sinn Fein

    Not fair in this case. The rent is cheap and all bills included. its not 10 people in bunk beds with a fridge in the shower or whatever.

    However I agree with you 100% about the housing and homelessness crises if that's what you're saying, I really hope we have a chance of it getting sorted now that SF look to be getting in govt. and change hopefully on the way....


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    #76
    Pamela Landy
    Registered Users Posts: 304 ✭✭Pamela Landy


    Stark wrote: »
    Telling girls adult women they're not allowed a sex life. Taking advantage of people's desperation to find accommodation in a dysfunctional market to impose unreasonable rules. No-one would put up with that if there was choice on the market.

    They can have a sex life but you have to think about what is fair. Remember it is my home and "paid guest" is on my insurance and they sign agreeing to that rule BUT as I said I already turned a blind eye and she had her sex life here. It was when it came to a different guy every 3-4 days and even 2 in one day that I took exception to it.


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    #77
    Bass Reeves
    Registered Users Posts: 18,556 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    This is a typical I want my own space but do not want to pay for it or I want extra money for my lifestyle. A few years ago my eldest lad rented a room off an owner/occupier. He worked night intermittently here nephew and nieces used to come into the house to lounge about and watch TV during the summer. My daughter was looking for accomdation in Dublin two years ago she went to see a few owner occupier houses, most wanted top dollar with rules like you could not use the sitting room and had to spend most of the evening in your bedroom. On heating some people are willing to live in iceboxes other want toast boxes. If you are paying for a place to stay and nowadays with high rental prices tenants deserve some leeway. Lots of young people continue further studies after initial qualifications, more and more people work irregular hours. If you are renting you are entitled to live in the house.....I think

    Slava Ukrainii



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    #78
    SNNUS
    Registered Users Posts: 746 ✭✭✭SNNUS


    The thing with renting out rooms in your home... Is the money worth the hassle and loss of privacy etc..


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    #79
    fluffingtons
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34 ✭fluffingtons


    Bass Reeves wrote: »
    This is a typical I want my own space but do not want to pay for it or I want extra money for my lifestyle. A few years ago my eldest lad rented a room off an owner/occupier. He worked night intermittently here nephew and nieces used to come into the house to lounge about and watch TV during the summer. My daughter was looking for accomdation in Dublin two years ago she went to see a few owner occupier houses, most wanted top dollar with rules like you could not use the sitting room and had to spend most of the evening in your bedroom. On heating some people are willing to live in iceboxes other want toast boxes. If you are paying for a place to stay and nowadays with high rental prices tenants deserve some leeway. Lots of young people continue further studies after initial qualifications, more and more people work irregular hours. If you are renting you are entitled to live in the house.....I think


    I'm sure your son/daughter left their houses occasionally, went outdoors, met friends etc. or just had the consideration for others that is lacking here with my lodger.

    Would you like someone permanently lodged in your kitchen/lounge watching you make your breakfast/dinner/tea?

    What you're saying is true enough but there are distinctions between different types of arrangements, lodger, digs, flatshares etc. that's becoming clear to me now in this thread. and different rules go along with different arrangements


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    #80
    fluffingtons
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34 ✭fluffingtons


    SNNUS wrote: »
    The thing with renting out rooms in your home... Is the money worth the hassle and loss of privacy etc..

    nope :(
    its a crap situation


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    #81
    JustAThought
    Registered Users Posts: 5,324 ✭✭✭JustAThought


    OP - I had a problem with a flatmate ( lodger) who used crank the heating up when I was out.Sadly I found out the real extent after he left as he was sneeky about it snd used make sure it was on all day when I was out at work, but turned off when I was home & the timer never used so no visible trace until the bill came.. as bills were included in the rent & he got worse & worse I dont think I made any kind of profit beyond e100 a month from having him. He worked nights and was very quiet and considerate.

    Id agree with the others that you say the situation isnt working out & that you cannot live in a athmosphere & tell her youre sorry, you will give her good refrrence but she needs to find somewhere that will be s better fit for her needs. Give her or discuss with her a date that she will vacate by -say the 29th of Feb. There are short term rentals online liike hostfamily.ie where she can rent by the week or month while she looks - she won’t be stuck.

    Is there a way you can secure the heating control? Seal s padlock onto the side of a door or something. Alternatively in the interim you could say that as she has taken it upon herself to turn on & increaae the household bill during the day then you will be asking for x (80) extra per month for her daytime useage of the heat.

    If she is ‘working’ with children maybe the area suits her - it might be worth having a frank conversation regarding the common areas & increased heat bill & specifying that the house cannot be used fof professional purposes ie working from home & that the kitchen is that -an eating and socialising space & not for prolongued pc use as there is another comfortable room for that. I wonder will she just crank up the heating bill more by moving in there?

    I had a significant issue with someone who told me they had a 9-5 job in the city cemtre & then increasingly didnt go in or wanted to ‘ work from home’ or take a me day - every other day. I had to be really tough with them as I was not planning on having them in running up gas and lx bills sll day -it became a big problem and it was like living with s badgempered sulky teenager.I suspect they had been fired.In the longrun they didnt pay the rent or bills, I gave them noticed and withheld the outstanding from the deposit but got a lovely other person in instead a while later.

    I do find that people tend to have more diverse types of jobs and have been stung before (I never saw it coming) so I focus on having a solid conversation with them when they apply to move in - finding out where they work, their length of contract, if they are self employed ( horrorstory-avoid) and if they are paid monthly or fortnightly to organise how to structure a rent day that might best suit us both. I now specify that the house is for personsl use & no professional activities or work can be carried out from it and that the room is for single use only. This weeds out all the couples and types wanting to move from abroad and work/sign on/ doss in the city for a few holdiay months while partying in the house.

    I also find that people tend to be dug into their laptops and phones a lot more.Im lucky -I have a very good & financially reliable lodger but I’m torn between sometimes thinking they are very antisocial in their bedroom & then wondering if they dislike me as they spend ALL their free time in their laptop in their bedroom! Its s modern world I guess!


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    #82
    Ray Palmer
    Registered Users Posts: 8,394 ✭✭✭Ray Palmer


    Marcusm wrote: »
    Not really; fluffingtons is renting the entire property and,wit the consent of the landlord, has sublet. THis menas that fluffingtons is the landlord for that resident. After 6 months, the subtenant could request part IV rights as against the head landlord. However, as they are a family member of fluffingtons, the protections of the RTA won't be available to them.

    It's a harsh reality. Seems like both the subtenant and fluffingtons didn't do their homework and are reaping as they sowed. However, fluffingtons has an exit.

    It better be an immediate family member for that to apply.
    Are we to take it that the family member is paying tax on the rental income. If immediate family member no issue but it not they should be paying tax.

    Then we have the rent being charged. Is it as if no tax is being paid on the rental income then the tenant's rent should reflect that. If not then they are trying to have the rent paid by tenants while they save. Is the owner really cool with that? I wouldn't be because it would be my generosity allowing them to profit. Be surprised anybody would be cool with that.


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    #83
    roper1664
    Registered Users Posts: 228 ✭✭roper1664


    I think many of the responses in this thread sum up the underlying issue. There's an expectation from the licensee that they are going to be a tenant, probably because they don't understand the difference. They just see the place they want and go for it. The rent-a-room scheme was brought in to increase the amount of accommodation available. Essentially, the licensee is a paying guest and is severely limited, as opposed to taking out a tenancy agreement. If this scheme disappeared, a huge amount of accommodation would be gone. It just wouldn't make any sense financially or lifestyle-wise for home owners (or tenants who have permission to take in a lodger) to have paying guests (strangers) in their house under those circumstances.

    Anyway, the OP seems clear on the facts of the scheme, and has stated a couple of times that they will give the licensee a couple of days and then decide if a chat is needed.

    The rent-a-room scheme is clearly defined on revenue and citizens information websites.


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    #84
    Ballso
    Registered Users Posts: 465 ✭✭Ballso


    Nobody in their right mind would be a lodger with these posters if they had a choice. Moaning about lodgers sitting at the dining room table & using the heating, leaving little passive aggressive notes and tut-tutting at grown adults sex lives. Imagine having to live with these cretins.


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    #85
    SteM
    Registered Users Posts: 6,707 ✭✭✭SteM


    fluffingtons wrote: »
    nope :(
    its a crap situation

    Then don't do it, if it's not worth it and is a crap situation. You've already said you're only doing it to help you get the money for a house of your own. You don't need them there to help you pay the rent. Or just leave it at one lodger that you're happy with and make less money. It's not like you're being forced to rent a room to help pay your mortgage.


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    #86
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,305 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    Ballso wrote: »
    This is why people vote Sinn Fein

    For stupid and irrelevant reasons? You may be on to something...


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    #87
    dubrov
    Registered Users Posts: 3,569 ✭✭✭dubrov


    SteM wrote: »
    Then don't do it, if it's not worth it and is a crap situation. You've already said you're only doing it to help you get the money for a house of your own. You don't need them there to help you pay the rent. Or just leave it at one lodger that you're happy with and make less money. It's not like you're being forced to rent a room to help pay your mortgage.

    It's called planning for the future


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    #88
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,305 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    Ballso wrote: »
    Nobody in their right mind would be a lodger with these posters if they had a choice. Moaning about lodgers sitting at the dining room table & using the heating, leaving little passive aggressive notes and tut-tutting at grown adults sex lives. Imagine having to live with these cretins.
    You seem to have the same lodger/tenant blind spot as others. It’s a problem easily avoided by going for a house share if that’s what you want.


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    #89
    Ballso
    Registered Users Posts: 465 ✭✭Ballso


    endacl wrote: »
    You seem to have the same lodger/tenant blind spot as others. It’s a problem easily avoided by going for a house share if that’s what you want.

    The house share space has a litany of its own issues, lack of supply, crazy rent prices, disastrous quality of accommodation and run by a parasitic landlord class with no regard for tenancy law. Few would live in either situation given a choice.


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    #90
    SteM
    Registered Users Posts: 6,707 ✭✭✭SteM


    dubrov wrote: »
    It's called planning for the future

    The OP was asked
    The thing with renting out rooms in your home... Is the money worth the hassle and loss of privacy etc..

    The OP replied
    nope
    its a crap situation

    So if it's not worth it financially then why do it? How is that planning for your future?


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    #91
    dubrov
    Registered Users Posts: 3,569 ✭✭✭dubrov


    SteM wrote: »
    The OP was asked



    The OP replied



    So if it's not worth it financially then why do it? How is that planning for your future?

    A crap situation does not mean it is not worth it.
    Short term pain for long term gain.


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